Performance issue while using data type 'STRING'.

Hello All,

I have created a table for storing values of different features coming under a particular country. Since the last field 'Value field' have to hold text upto 800characters for some features, i have used the data type 'String' with character length specified as 1000. I am able to store values upto 1000characters using this. Also, the table has to hold lots and lots of value, and it will increase in future also.

Since i have mentioned the data type as 'String', I have one doubt whether this will affect the performance. Because length of most of the values in my value field is less than 75characters and in some case only it will exceed 700characters. So, my question is whether the 'String' data type will allocate the length which am specifying in the table for each entries, though the values entering is less than the specified length.

For example, if the value of my value field is 'Very High Complexity' which is of length 20characters, will the space allocation be reduced to 20 or will it be still 1000characters?

Hope someone can clarify my doubt.

Thanks In Advance,

Shino

Moved to appropriate forum

Edited by: Rob Burbank on Feb 23, 2009 4:27 PM